Swinney updates contract situation

CLEMSON – Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney confirmed to TigerNet Wednesday afternoon that a new deal between Swinney and the school is in the works but that the two sides haven’t reached an agreement.

Swinney agreed to an eight-year deal in January of 2014 following the Tigers’ Orange Bowl win over Ohio St. In 2015, Swinney made $2.45 million as a base salary.

Starting with the base salary, it was learned that the maximum dollar amount a state employee can be paid each year is $2.45 million. As a result, Swinney’s contract was written with three separate documents, with each document stipulating a pay amount that adds up to the total amount.

For instance, in 2014 Swinney made $3.15 million. One document has the $2.45 million allowed by the state; a second document is a $500,000 licensing agreement (that amount will stay the same the length of the contract); and a third document is a supplemental page which will pay the remainder of the monies owed (in 2014, $155,000).

The licensing agreement – we all know that Swinney trademarked his name a few years ago and the school had to reach an agreement to use Swinney’s name and likeness in promotions. That total adds up to $500,000 per year for the life of the contract.

However, the Tigers reached the College Football Playoff this past season and finished with a 14-1 record. Clemson lost to Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship, and it was during that run that Athletic Director Dan Radakovich said that he would begin negotiations on a contract extension and increased salary for Swinney after the national championship game.

Swinney, 46, has guided Clemson to a 75-27 record in seven-plus seasons as coach, including a 47-14 record against ACC foes. He was hired after serving as the Tigers' interim coach midway through the 2008 season, and signed the eight-year contract in January 2014 that pays him about $3.3 million. That deal included a raise of more than $1.1 million and runs through the 2021 season.

Swinney told TigerNet Wednesday that the two sides have talked but haven’t reach any sort of agreement.

“We are just not there yet,” Swinney told TigerNet. “We are just not there.”

Swinney's $3.3 million annual salary ranked 26th among FBS coaches this past season, one spot above Kentucky's Mark Stoops, who makes $3.25 million and is among the three lowest-paid coaches in the SEC.

“We have been talking, but that’s really all you can say,” Swinney said. “There is nothing to say. We are talking. There is nothing really to report.”

Salary

2014: $3.15 million
2015: $3.3 million
2016: $3.45 million
2017: $3.45 million
2018: $3.45 million
2019: $3.45 million
2020: $3.45 million
2021: $3.45 million

Buyout if the university terminates without cause

2014: $24 million
2015: $20.7 million
2016: $17.2 million
2017: $10.3 million
2018: $7.7 million
2019: $4 million
2020: $2 million

Buyout if Swinney leaves

2014: $5 million
2015: $5 million
2016: $5 million
2017: $3 million
2018: $2.5 million
2019: $1 million
2020: $500,000